2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Our collective future depends on the creativity, adaptability and collaborative skills of engineering and science students who will find solutions to the problems of our world. At Central Michigan University, the College of Science and Engineering started in 2023 a new undergraduate program called InSciTE (Integration of Science, Technology and Engineering) to provide diverse students with an interdisciplinary space to explore STEM challenges and solutions. InSciTE supports an innovative STEM ecosystem that establishes inclusion and equity to generate STEM innovators with the skills needed by employers. Collaborative interdisciplinary skills enable engineering and science students to work effectively with experts from various fields, fostering innovation and the ability to solve complex global challenges. These skills also enhance communication, teamwork, adaptability, and a deeper understanding of the social and ethical implications of engineering solutions.

Designed as a 15-credit certificate that complements existing majors, InSciTE consists of five skill-based courses taken over a four-year period as a cohort. Students from all STEM majors enroll in this certificate. Each course is centered around transferable skills (including collaboration, communication, data and time management) with students driving the content of the course based on their interests. InSciTE was created around its core values of equity, collaboration, relevance to real-world problems, being learner-centered, and supporting creative problem solving. The student-driven content of the program increases student engagement and success. Robust faculty training and development ensure an equitable delivery of the courses that decreases barriers for the higher-than-average number of marginalized students in the program. The design of the interdisciplinary group work encourages collaboration among 30+ engineering and science majors.

In this paper, we will present a summary of the program creation and its strong multidisciplinary approaches while highlighting key pedagogical practices at the core of the program. We will present results from two years of implementation with 100+ STEM students and share key findings from the assessment of the program that highlight the success of this interdisciplinary equitable approach to STEM education.